The DeGRAFF FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH
State Route 235/ 100 East Miami Street
DeGraff, Ohio 43318
Phone: (937) 585-4463
James R. Roby, Pastor
“BIBLE VERSIONS COMPARED”
by Pastor James R. Roby
A great debate rages amongst fundamentalist Christians concerning the various versions of the Bible. Some say that there is no real difference between these translations...that only insignificant changes (such as replacing “thee” and “thou” with “you”) have been made. Others strongly disagree, claiming that vitally important passages of scripture have been altered and omitted. Who is standing for the truth in this controversy? Is there reason for alarm, or are some making a big deal out of nothing? One thing is for certain, BOTH SIDES CANNOT BE RIGHT.
There were many in Paul’s day who were already busy corrupting the Word of God. “For we are not as many which corrupt the Word of God” (2 Cor. 2:17). We should not be surprised that many continue this unholy practice in our day! There are two basic ways to corrupt the Bible: Add to it and take away from it. “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man SHALL ADD UNTO these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book; And if any man SHALL TAKE AWAY from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city. and from the things which are written in this book.” (Rev. 22:18-19). According to this scripture, it is a serious, SERIOUS thing to tamper with God’s Word! Many other Bible passages concur. (See Deut. 4:2, 12:32; Prov. 30:5-6; Matt. 5:18, 24:35; 1 Pet. 1:25). From the very beginning, Satan has challenged God’s plain word with the question, “Yea, hath God said?” (Gen. 3:1). As we compare the versions of the Bible, it should be possible to determine whether any of them have been corrupted.
A.) COLOSSIANS 1:14
KJV: “In whom we have redemption THROUGH HIS BLOOD, even the forgiveness of sins.”
NEW VERSIONS: “In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Versions like the NIV, NAS, RSV, CATHOLIC VERSIONS leave out “THROUGH HIS BLOOD.” The NKJV leaves it in the text, but questions its’ validity in a footnote.
Salvation is impossible apart from the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is a major omission!
B.) ST. JOHN 6:47
KJV: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth ON ME hath everlasting life.”
NEW VERSIONS: “Truly, truly I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.”
He who believes WHAT? The new versions leave out WHO TO BELIEVE IN! (NIV, NAS, RSV, etc. NKJV again leaves these words in the text, but causes doubt with a footnote.).
The new versions lend credence to the idea that “it doesn’t matter what you believe, as long as you believe and are sincere.” This is an extremely dangerous doctrine. The King James Version is far clearer on the plan of salvation here.
C.) ST. MARK 10:24
KJV: “Children, how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.”
NEW VERSIONS: “Children how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God.”
D.) ST. MATTHEW 7:14
KJV: “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
NKJV: “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are but few who find it.”
The new versions lead people to believe that it is difficult to become a Christian. That is NOT AT ALL what Jesus said! He said the way was narrow...ONLY ONE WAY. It is not difficult (hard) to become a Christian. One merely trusts in Jesus Christ and His completed work on the cross!
E.) ST. LUKE 21:19
KJV: “In your patience possess ye your souls.”
NIV: “By standing firm you will save yourself.” Also NAS, LIVING BIBLE, CATHOLIC, etc.).
We cannot save ourselves. If such a thing were possible, Jesus Christ would not have had to die on the cross for our sins. He is the ONLY ONE Who can save us! The new versions support a modernist/cultic heresy in this verse.
F.) 1 PETER 4:1
KJV: “Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered FOR US in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind...”
NEW VERSIONS: “Therefore since Christ has suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose.”
The new versions leave out the fact that Christ suffered FOR US!
G.) 1 TIMOTHY 3:16
KJV: “And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH...”
NEW VERSIONS: “And by common confession, great is the mystery of godliness: HE WAS REVEALED IN THE FLESH...”
In the King James Version, it is very clear from this verse that Jesus Christ is GOD Who was manifest in the flesh! NOTE: God was manifest in the flesh, Jesus Christ is the One Who came in the flesh, therefore Jesus Christ is God! By changing “GOD” to “HE” the new versions obscure the fact that Jesus Christ is God. (NAS, RSV, NIV, CATHOLIC, LIVING BIBLE, etc. Once again, NKJV uses a footnote to challenge the use of GOD in the text).
H.) ISAIAH 7:14
KJV: “Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: Behold a VIRGIN shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name IMMANUEL.”
RSV: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold a YOUNG WOMAN shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name Immanuel.”
GOOD NEWS: “Well, then, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: a YOUNG WOMAN WHO IS PREGNANT will have a son and will name him Immanuel.”
Young women get pregnant and have sons every day! There is no miraculous sign in that! Jesus Christ was born of a virgin! These new version verses hide that truth.
I.) LUKE 1:34
KJV: “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I KNOW NOT A MAN?”
NEW VERSIONS: “And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, since I have no husband?” (RSV, WILLIAMS, BECK, etc.).
Women often have children without having husbands! In the King James text, Mary is expressing the fact that she is a virgin. Some of the new versions completely obscure this fact.
J.)LUKE 2:33
KJV: “And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.”
NIV: “The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him.” (Also RSV, NAS, CATHOLIC, WILLIAMS, BECK, etc. NKJV makes this change in the footnote.). God’s Word is careful to make it clear that Joseph was NOT Jesus’ father! By referring to Joseph as His father, the new bibles deny the virgin birth.
K.) ISAIAH 14:12
KJV: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O LUCIFER, son of the morning!”
NIV: “How you have fallen from heaven O MORNING STAR, son of dawn.”
RSV: “How you are fallen from heaven, O DAY STAR, son of Dawn!”
NKJV footnote for Lucifer: “Literally Day Star.”
Lucifer is taken out of the new versions, even though this is the only place in the Bible where information about him is given. Bible believers know that Lucifer was a cherub created by God Almighty. Later, through pride he attempted to overthrow God, was cast down from Heaven, and his name was changed to Satan. Jesus referred to this event in Luke 10:18. In the new versions, Isaiah 14 ceases to be a reference to Lucifer/Satan. The most horrible thing about what happens in this text, however, is not that satan is removed (hidden), but that he is replaced by a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ! The Morning Star and the Day Star are clearly names for Jesus. “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you of these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR.” (Rev. 22:16). “We also have a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the DAY STAR arise in your hearts” (2 Pet. 1:19). Why would the new versions take Lucifer out of a text that refers to his FALL and defeat, and insert the Lord Jesus Christ? When did Jesus ever FALL FROM HEAVEN? When was our Savior ever CUT DOWN TO THE GROUND and WEAKEN THE NATIONS? This is absolute blasphemy!
L.) LOOK AT HOW THE NEW VERSIONS HANDLE THE DOCTRINE OF HELL!
NIV KJV
grave Job 11:8 hell
grave 2 Sam. 22:6 hell
grave Ps. 9:17, 16:10, 18:5, 55:15 hell
grave Ps. 86:13, 116:3 hell
grave Prov. 7:27, 15:24 hell
grave Isa. 5:14, 14:15, 28:15 hell
grave Ezek. 31:16-17, 32:21,27 hell
grave Jonah 2:2 hell
grave Hab. 2:5 hell
grave Acts 2:27,31 hell
There are numerous other places where Hell is changed to grave as well. This is just a sampling! Cults, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons, the Modernists, and the Seventh Day Adventists, have always said that Bible believers were wrong about a literal, burning Hell where Christ rejecters are punished eternally. And now, according to the new versions, THE CULTS ARE RIGHT AND THE BIBLE BELIEVING CHRISTIANS ARE WRONG! Hell is the grave! We can’t accept this, can we? The NAS and the NKJV join the Jehovah’s Witnesses NEW WORLD TRANSLATION in not translating the Hebrew SHEOL or the Greek HADES into English. According to NIV Editor R. Laird Harris: “Its translation (hell) brings up a number of theological matters. A number of modern versions simply do not translate the word. They leave each reader to decide for himself...” from NIV: The Making of a Contemporary Translation. The NIV, NAS, NKJV, NEW WORLD leave Hell untranslated so that the reader can decide for himself whether the Bible means hell or the grave...or perhaps a good compromise like Purgatory! This is a serious challenge to Bible doctrine.
M.) LUKE 24:6
KJV: “He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee?”
RSV: “Remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee?”
“He is not here, but is risen” is removed from the text. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is attacked in this verse. How can anyone call this a minor, insignificant change?
N.)VERSES OMITTED ENTIRELY IN THE NEW VERSIONS.
“Howbeit, this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.” (Matt. 17:21).
“For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” (Matt. 18:11).
“But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in Heaven forgive your trespassed.” (Mark 11:26).
“Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” (Luke 17:36).
“Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” (NEB, RSV, etc.).
“And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (Acts 8:37). This is the most important verse in this entire story. It concerns salvation and believer’s baptism. AND IT IS GONE IN THE NEW VERSIONS!
“For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” (1 Jn. 5:7). This is the strongest reference to the Trinity in the entire Bible. IT IS GONE IN THE NEW VERSIONS.
There are numerous other verses missing from the new versions, Lk. 24:40; Matt. 12:47, 21:44, 23:14; Mk. 7:16, 9:44, 9:46; Jn. 5:4, 7:53-8:11; Acts 28:29; Ro. 16:24; 1 Cor. 6:20; 1 Pe. 4:14; 1 Jn. 5:13 and others! These are NOT insignificant, minor changes. There are over 200 important omissions in the New Testament alone in the new versions...changes that must not be tolerated by Bible believers. “Jesus,” “Christ,” “Lord,” etc. have been removed repeatedly.
Due to space limitations, we will list other changes that you should know about. (Please understand that there are many many others).
Matt 1:25 (FIRSTBORN), Matt 6:33 (OF GOD), Matt 9:13 (TO REPENTANCE), Matt 15:8 (DRAWETH UNTO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH), Matt 16:3 (O YE HYPOCRITES), Matt 19:9 (LAST 11 WORDS), Matt 20:16 (MANY BE CALLED BUT FEW CHOSEN), Matt 27:54 (THE SON OF GOD ), Mk 6:11 (MORE TOLERABLE FOR SODOM AND GOMORRHA), Mk 9:2 (IN ME), LK 4:4 (BUT BY EVERY WORD OF GOD), LK 23:42 (LORD), LK 24:51 (CARRIED UP INTO HEAVEN), JN 1:14,18, 3:16,18 (BEGOTTEN), JN 3:13 (WHICH IS IN HEAVEN), JN 3:15 (SHOULD NOT PERISH), ACTS 2:20 (ACCORDING TO THE FLESH RAISE UP CHRIST), Ro. 1:16 (OF CHRIST), Ro. 1:29 (FORNICATION), Ro. 8:1 (LAST 10 WORDS), GAL 3:1 (THAT YE SHOULD NOT OBEY THE TRUTH), 1 JN 4:3 (CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH), Rev 1:8 (THE BEGINNING AND THE END), Rev 1:11 (ALPHA AND OMEGA),
The words in parenthesis are missing in most of the new versions. Someone has indeed been corrupting God’s Word! Which Bible should the Christian use? Without any question, the King James Version of 1611!
